Iran, IAEA Resume Talks On Nuclear Probe

Iranian flags are pictured on the roof of the presidential office in Tehran Oct. 17, 2009. Photo: REUTERS

Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Friday resumed talks in Vienna, hoping to sort out the differences on conducting investigation into the alleged nuclear weapon program in the Islamic republic.

In the meeting, the IAEA is expected to push for probing the activities in the Parchin military complex near Tehran. Iran has so far indicated that it will limit the scope of the investigation to be conducted by the IAEA.

The U.S. and other Western nations have charged that Iran is in the process of building a nuclear weapon, a claim which Tehran has denied. The U.S. and Europe have tightened economic sanctions against Iran. Tehran has repeatedly argued that such sanctions will neither cripple the country's economy nor disrupt its nuclear research program.

Iran has threatened to withhold oil deliveries and block the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil flows. Iran's top oil buyers in Europe have made substantial cuts in imports ahead of the European Union sanctions, which will come into effect in July.

Following ongoing concerns of hackers interfering with the 2016 Presidential election, President Barack Obama has called for a complete report into hacking efforts that took place during the election cycle.